What is a dental bridge 

Contents

 1 The importance of teeth

 2 Definition of a dental bridge

 3 benefits of a dental bridge

 4 types of dental bridges

 5 Dental bridge preparation mechanism and cost

 6 dental implants

 The importance of teeth

 The teeth in the human mouth play an important role; It helps to chew and digest food in the right way, and helps to pronounce letters and speak clearly, and also has an important role in giving the face the appropriate shape and a beautiful smile, hence the importance of caring for and maintaining oral and dental hygiene. It is always recommended to brush the teeth at least twice a day, So that one of them is right before bedtime, and the use of dental floss (in English: Dental Floss) once a day to remove food residues stuck between the teeth; This is to prevent tooth decay and gingivitis.

 dental bridge definition

 In the event of missing teeth in the mouth, the dentist replaces them using what is known as a dental bridge, where this bridge consists of one or several artificial teeth instead of the missing teeth, fixed on both sides by crowns on the teeth before and after the tooth Or missing teeth, and the teeth on which the bridge rests on both sides are called abutments. Dental bridges are usually made of different materials such as: gold, porcelain, and others, but porcelain or porcelain is the most common because it merges and fits with natural teeth, giving a more beautiful appearance.

 Dental bridge benefits

 In cases of missing natural teeth, there are several effects that may be left in a person's life, and dental bridges can mitigate these effects as follows:

 Improving the aesthetics of the smile and face.

 Improving the ability to chew and digest.

 Improving the ability to speak and correct pronunciation.

Natural redistribution of bite force in the mouth.

Prevent the teeth adjacent to the missing teeth from leaning towards the empty area.

 Dental bridge types

 There are several main types of dental bridges, which can be stated as follows:

 Traditional Dental Bridge

 It is the bridge that is used to replace missing teeth through artificial teeth installed in the place of loss, by means of crowns affixed to the abutments on the two sides adjacent to the place of loss, and it is the most common type among the types of dental bridges, and is used in the event that there are natural teeth on both sides of the missing tooth.

Cantilever Dental Bridge

 This type is similar to the traditional bridge, but it is used in the event that there are natural teeth on one side of the missing tooth, and it is not widely spread, and it is not usually recommended to install it in the area of ​​the end of the jaw because it may put great pressure on the remaining teeth and may lead to their ruin.

 Maryland Dental Bridge

 This type of bridge is similar to a traditional bridge in that there are teeth on both sides of the missing teeth, but it is fixed by a metal or porcelain frame attached to the back of the abutment teeth.

 Dental bridge preparation mechanism and cost

 If a person wishes to install a dental bridge, the dentist takes several steps:

 It begins with the first session in which he prepares the supporting teeth by cooling them and removing a layer of them in order to create space for placing the crowns on them, and then he takes impressions of the teeth to obtain a model of the teeth that the laboratory technician uses to form the bridge parts later, and in this session the dentist also makes a temporary bridge for the teeth It protects the teeth and gums until the permanent dental bridge is completed.

 In the second session, the metal or porcelain bridge is tested to ensure its suitability for the place prepared for it and the health of the bite on it. It is worth noting that the dentist sometimes pastes the bridge temporarily for a period of time to ensure its suitability and comfort to the patient before permanently affixing it.

 As for the cost of a dental bridge, it varies from one country to another, as well as from one case to another depending on several points, including:

The number of missing teeth, the type of material used to manufacture the bridge, how difficult and complex the case is, and other dental treatments needed such as:

Periodontal treatment, and the type of dental bridge such as: traditional or winged.

 It is worth noting that the dental bridge may remain intact in the mouth for up to 15 years, so it is necessary to take care of dental hygiene by brushing them and using medical dental floss and mouthwashes, and it is also recommended to visit the dentist regularly to make sure that there are no problems in them, Diagnose and treat these problems, if any, from their inception.

 dental implants

 Dental implants are a common and effective way to replace missing teeth in harmony with the rest of the existing natural teeth, and dentistry has witnessed a remarkable development in dental implants in the past forty years.

 Implants are a suitable alternative to dental bridges in cases where there are not enough teeth to make bridges, and their use has advantages that outweigh the use of dental bridges in the following respects:

 Dental implants work like a normal tooth:

This is done from a formal and functional point of view, without the need to cool the adjacent teeth and weaken them.

 The implant replaces the root and crown of the tooth:

The tooth root and its crown are compensated and thus work to preserve the bone around the root and prevent some melting of it, as is the case when using a dental bridge.

 Ease of maintaining teeth:

In the long run, dental implants are more aesthetically pleasing and easier to clean than dental bridges.

 Dental implants are usually made of titanium.

It is a material compatible with the human body and has the ability to adhere to the jaw bone during the healing period. It is in the form of a cylinder with a length of 8-16 mm. It is placed in the jawbone after preparing a suitable place for it, and thus compensates for the tooth root, and then after making sure that it is completely healed with the bone during the period of time. 3-6 months The crown is prepared and placed over the implant.